


Lost Little Butterfly

by CavannaRose



Category: Forever Knight, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
Genre: Blood Drinking, Gen, Vampires, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-06-03 07:32:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 15,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6602209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CavannaRose/pseuds/CavannaRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I remember so little, but that I was alone. I remember stepping into the sun, and it burnt my flesh."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is the embodiment of a role play I've engaged in with some dear friends. We've managed to make something I'm really proud of out of it.

Her memory was spotty, at best, until the moment of the attack. There she had details. A man, though she couldn't recall his face. His voice a silken caress, he called her Mariposa. Was that her name? Or simply his name for her. She couldn't recall, but in need of some kind of identifier to cling to she held on to it. She remembered a close embrace, surely they knew each other, she couldn't possibly be the type who would just wander off and get that close with strangers... and then she remembered pain, snarling, bleeding... until the world went dark.  
  
She woke in the woods, dark, alone. The last traces of sunlight didn't even penetrate the canopy but in a few places. She stumbled towards one, desperate to examine herself, and was greeted by a shock. As the thready beam of light hit her flesh, it sizzled. More pain. She withdrew, pulled tight into herself. Huddled at the base of a tree trunk she wept bloody tears. The ruins of a rather fancy dress her only clothing.  
  
It wasn't long until the hunger started. Running through her until it was all she felt. She blazed through the copse, catching and feeding off the creatures within, barely enough to sate the craving. A single word ran through her scattered mind. _Vampire_. Nonsense. Days went by, maybe weeks, she wasn't really sure anymore. She never left the woods, terrified of what she was, of the memory of the burning sun. But then, stalking a particularly crafty squirrel, the sweetest scent caught her attention. Following it she saw him, a young man, perhaps in his early 20s.   
  
Without a thought she sprang, fangs piercing his neck. She drained him until there was nothing left. It was like eating steak after surviving on corn chips. She felt that strange fog that had settled over her mind lifting, and she could finally feel the horror at what she had done, at what she had become. She stole the buttoned shirt off his back, wrapping it around herself and running from the woods, into the night. She was a monster.

It was strange, what she did and did not remember. She couldn't remember her name, but she knew she knew she spoke English, Spanish and Cantonese... but not why. She remembered a party, drinks and laughter, and that uncomfortable dress, but not why she had been there...

She knew that what she had become was a vampire, and that killing people was wrong... but she couldn't stop. Her world had splintered into a million pieces, scattered like her memories. Could she ever reclaim them both?

Mariposa... it meant butterfly. The man, the _creature_ that attacked her had called her that. Was it her name? She couldn't recall. It didn't feel like her name, but it felt right at the same time... A pet name perhaps? It was the only shred of identity she still held, struggling against the void that existed in her mind. She dug through that murky wasteland for information on the creature she had become. There had to be a cure... didn't there? If not for the vampirism, at least for the overwhelming loss of her memories.


	2. Chapter 2

The call of the night was strong within Mariposa. The young vampire had yet to master her instincts, or her thirst. Though she was learning, most of those she fed upon did not survive the encounter, and with every death her thin grasp on what remained of her humanity grew weaker. The hunger was like a demon in her stomach. Clawing, craving, driving her further and further afield. It was maddening. The men and women she fed upon mattered little to the Thirst, they were simply food. Cattle. Like juice boxes with legs.   
  
Part of her was beginning to enjoy the hunt. The way the fear made their blood taste. Last night she'd actually laughed when her victim had screamed as she bit down on his throat. What kind of monster was amused by terror and torment? Was she becoming more like the creature that turned her? Was becoming a monster unavoidable?  
  
Tonight she was huddled in the corner of an old, musty mausoleum. There were nicer places she could be hiding, but her recent viciousness horrified her. Her once fine party dress was ripped and stained, parts of it dragging in the dirt, the rest bunched against her knees as she sat holding herself in a desperate embrace. Slowly she rocked back and forth on her heels, trying to soothe herself while the demon inside her demanded she go forth and seek fresh blood.  
  
She could hear the fluttery heartbeats of a family of mice building their nests within the old tombs. She could smell the comforting decay of the corpses around her, corpses like she should have become rather than this walking, ravenous beast. With a small sob her hand went to the scars on her throat, the last evidence of the brutal attack that had changed her entire life. If you could even call this living. Why her? What had she done to deserve this curse?

 


	3. Chapter 3

She didn't know who she was, or where she was, but the instinct to feed was leading her. She was getting better at stalking humans, though she had to do it far less often than she had needed to stalk the woodland creatures in that patch of forest. From her victims she had collected an interesting assortment of oversized men's clothing, a knapsack, some crumpled twenties and a watch. That was the most important thing to the fledgling. Now she could travel farther before finding a place to hide for the day.

Currently she was in the passenger side of a car, having gained a ride by flashing a little flesh and promising to compensate the driver. Just outside the next town, he'd pulled over, moving in for his 'payment'. With a deadly grin she leaned in, latching on to his neck. The man let out a startled cry, struggling against her as she drained each delicious drop of blood from his veins. She pulled away, wiping her face on her sleeve.

A strangled sob escaped her, and she shoved away, stumbling from the vehicle. Dragging herself into the ditch, she coughed up a large portion of her meal, tears further marring her expression. She wrapped her arms around her knees, a small sob escaping her. She didn't want to be a monster, but she was too cowardly to end it. Instead she'd killed again. "Why?" she whispered into the restless night. Why had she been turned? Why had she been abandoned? Why couldn't she remember who she was?


	4. Chapter 4

It was late, and she was trying a new trap. She idled outside of a bar, swaying slightly until she caught sight of a likely target. He seemed to be perhaps in his mid-thirties. She stumbled, and just like she had intended he stooped to help her up. She batted her lashes prettily, ducking her head. "Why thank you, Mister." She cooed in a shy voice, shuffling slightly closer to the handsome man with the dirty blonde hair.

His lips quirked up in a crooked smile. "You're welcome, young one."

She coloured, tilting her chin up in indignation, if he treated her like a child, this trap would not work at all. "I'm not that young!" 

He tried to stifle a chuckle. She had spirit. She'd need it if she was going to survive, He sniffed the air above her head. "Little one," he said gently, "you still have the smell of life about you. I'm 800 years old. To me, you are _very_ young."

Maripose froze, eyes going wide. Did he just sniff her? Oh gods... he sniffed her! What was he saying, pay attention damnit! "I... I'm sorry... Did you say you were eight _hundred_ years old?" Her throat felt tight. Shite shite shite, this was... Oh no! He was a vampire! Her hand went to her throat for a moment, before she remembered that she, too, was a vampire. She bared her little fangs at him, hackles raised. "I might be new to this, but I can defend myself." She was terrified, her memories still fuzzy other than the rather vivid recollections of the attack that left her with her current condition.

His eyes twinkled with mirth as he watched the little vampire bare her fangs at him. Raising his hands in mock surrender,he spoke, gently. He didn't want to spook her. "I'm sure you can defend yourself, but there's no need. I'm not here to harm you. But, what are you doing out here all alone? Is your sire nearby?"

Hah. A vampire not out to hurt her, that seemed like a joke, but his voice was rather gentle, and she was so damn alone. She tilted her head to one side, confusion on her face. "Sire...?" She wracked her brain, digging through the murky half-memories for any clue what that word meant. Slowly her hand drifted up to her throat as she figured it out, her brows furrowing in anger. "If you mean the cabron that practically ripped out my throat and left me to die in the forest, I have no bloody idea."

What little colour he had drained from his face. "You mean...you were attacked? No decent vampire would turn the unwilling." He looked at her more closely, seeing the faint marks from the mauling that turned her. "No matter. You can't stay out here. You won't last a week. Come, I'll take you back to the chateau. You can clean up and get some clothes."

She surprised herself with the small growl that escaped her lips. She was still learning to cope with the odd instincts this new state of being graced her with. "For your information, I've already been out here plenty more than a week and done just fine... Mostly." She wavered a little, her defensiveness tainted by the desire to actually be _clean_ , better than washing up in a truck stop bathroom. "I don't know you and you don't know me, and thus far my experience with vampires hasn't really made you seem like the safest bet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cabron - fucking bastard (Spanish)


	5. Chapter 5

He held out his hand to her, his voice soft. "If I wanted to hurt you, believe me, you would already be dead. My name is Nick Knight. I'm a detective from Toronto, visiting my family in Paris. And you are?" With all of the ferals about, he could only hope that she'd take his offer.

That was not the most comforting endorsement she had ever heard... at least it wasn't as far as she remembered. She was _really_ sick of not having all her memories. But he was... a detective? A vampire detective? That was a real thing? She shook her head, worrying her lip with her fangs. "I..." She slumped a little. "I don't really remember. He... _it_ called me Mariposa, I don't recall too much else." But she did remember that. The silky sound of his voice wrapping around her like an embrace, whispering Spanish endearments in her ear. She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself and staring at his hand like it was going to bite her. "Are you really a detective?"

Smiling, Nick pulled his badge out of his jacket's breast pocket and showed it to her. "Yes, I really am. Mariposa... Do you remember anything about the one that attacked you?" The detective in him came to the surface as he questioned her. "Anything at all? If someone's indiscriminately turning people, he needs to be stopped."

Something eased within her when he pulled out his credentials, Mariposa even offered the man a tentative smile before trying to think of the attack. It was the one clear memory she had, but she'd been avoiding it like the plague. "I remember he was handsome, olive skin, dark hair, eyes so dark they seemed black... He had an accent, Castilian I think..." She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Sorry... I'm no good at describing people apparently." She agreed that he needed to be stopped though, no one else should be living the haunting horror she'd been stuck in.

"Castilian... hmmm. That could fit several vampires I know, but none of them would be so stupid or evil to turn someone that didn't want it. So, now that you seem to be satisfied that I am who I say I am, will you allow me to take you back to my family's home? You look to be about my little sister's size, and I'm sure you'd like a shower and a real bed."

She didn't really want to say yes, but this Nick Knight was a detective, and he'd been nothing but polite and gentle with her thus far... and the thought of a hot shower... She lowered her head, biting her lip hard enough to make it bleed and sucking the blood out of it, an odd little self-comforting tic she seemed to have developed over the last week. "I... yes please. Thank you."

Without another word, and before she could change her mind, he wraps an arm around her waist and takes to the sky, heading for home. He probably should've called ahead to warn them, but what harm could one this young do? Giving a terrified screech she clung to the man, eyes fixated on the ground that was much further away than she would have preferred. "Don't be alarmed. It's just the quickest way to get home. Sun will be up soon."

"Y-you c-can fly? C-can I fly??!? Ow lun dun jhew hai!!!" It was terrifying, it was exhilarating... she very much would like to pass out but was far too afraid to do so.

He laughed and tried to put her at ease. "Yes, you can probably fly. Though there are many different kinds of vampire, you seem to be the same general family. We can try it and see tomorrow, if you like." The landing in front of the chateau was as gentle as he could make it. Once she detached herself from his coat, he smiled and held the door open. "Ready to meet my family?"

She shivered a little. A family full of vampires? She couldn't imagine anything quite so terrifying. Still, flexing her fingers to relieve the tension from her terrified grip on his jacket, she titled her little chin into the air. Whoever she had been before, she was going to be someone brave now. The joy of not knowing yourself, was you could be whomever you wanted. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be... sir." She wasn't sure what to call him, and wanted to be polite. Her brain just kept emphasizing eight _hundred_ years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ow lun dun jhew hai - ox cock boiled in a pig's cunt (phonetic Cantonese)


	6. Chapter 6

"Please, Mariposa, call me Nick. Sir makes me feel so...old." He ushered her in the front door of the old chateau. A fire flickered in the fireplace of the library, and his sister by the blood, Pavanne sat in an oversized chair. Lucien had turned them both, making them family, as much as there were such things in their world. She was sipping something red from a stemmed glass and reading, while her mate sat lost in his headphones, eyes closed.

Cursing herself for being seventeen kinds of coward, she hung back by the door, half behind Nick. She couldn't resist muttering a quick "But you _are_ old" under her breath as her eyes darted around the room, taking in the people there. She was relieved to see another woman, assuredly this 'sister' he'd spoken of. She turned nervous eyes to him, waiting for Nick to take the lead in this extremely awkward social situation.

Leaning over, he whispered. "I can hear you. And I'm not that old. Our sire is almost 2,000." Grinning at her shocked face, he led her into the room. "Pavanne, ma soeur! I've brought a guest."

"Bonsoir, Nicholas. A guest?" She rose from the chair and smiled at them both. "Bonsoir, ma'amselle. As you can see, my brother has no manners. My name is Pavanne de Gryphon. The man with the headphones is mon amour, Thomas Murphy. He is listening to Elvis at the moment. May I offer you a drink?" She picks up the bottle of blood.

To say the young vampire was overwhelmed would be a bit of an understatement, not only that but she was embarrassed Nick had heard her sulky little salvo. She gave Pavanne a cautious smile. "Um... pleasure to meet you. I suppose you can call me Mariposa..." She twitched a little, part of her already wanting to escape. She felt like a mouse in a room full of cats, and had to keep reminding herself that she was just like them now. She shook her head at the offered drink. "N-no thanks, I'm not hungry... I mean thirsty... Me cago en la hostia!" She closed her eyes and took a calming breath, once more breaking the skin on her lip to suck on the blood there. She was such a nervous wreck right now.

Puzzled for a moment, Pavanne poured a glass of blood and handed it to the young vampire anyway. "I believe this can only help." Like Nick had, she sniffed the air, cocking her head. "You are very young. Nicholas? What is going on?"

Sighing, he walked to a nearby cabinet, where _his_ blood was kept, and poured a glass. "She was attacked in the woods. When she woke up, she'd been turned. Understandably, she's a little nervous about this whole vampire thing. I thought she could use a place to clean up and rest."

Not being left much choice, and not wanting to come off as extremely rude Mariposa clutched the glass in her hand, though she didn't drink from it. She followed the siblings' conversation, eyes going from one to the other as they discussed her. "I don't want to impose... but Nick offered and... I didn't really have anywhere else to go..." She added quietly, lowering her eyes to stare at her feet.

Pavanne took the glass and set it on a side table. Sweeping Mariposa into her arms, she hugged her tightly before releasing her with a smile. "Of course you are welcome here! We have room and to spare. Come. We will leave Nick and Thomas to talk, and I will show you to a room. You can clean up and perhaps rest."

The new vampire was more than a little startled as she was swept into a hug. That was... not what she had expected at all. They were supposed to be vampires, like the monster that had lured her out into the darkness and attacked her. She darted her eyes back to the detective anxiously, a hand going to her neck again, tracing the faint scars there. "Um... okay. I admit I would die for a shower."

"You have been in the woods since you were turned?" The older vampire shakes her head and starts up the stairs. "I cannot believe how thoughtless some of our kind are. A sire is supposed to take care of you, teach you how to survive. But to take one, without asking... Still, you look as though you managed all right. Ah, here we are. This is your room." They walk into a nicely appointed room, with poster bed, TV and a desk. "There is a balcony over the garden, and the bath is through that door. Janette and I both have clothes in the closet. Help yourself." 

Mariposa gave a little laugh, a bitter sound. "Well I have no idea what a sire is supposed to be, other than the nightmare that wakes me up screaming." She tugged on the filthy shirt she was wearing. "But yeah, I've been in the woods and along the highways for the past weeks... But I think that I'm freaking out the local authorities..." A guilty flush crosses her face as she thinks of the few times she had fed, and the bodies that had left behind. "Again, thank you, and your brother and husband..." Left alone, Mariposa immediately crossed through to the bathing room and ran a shower. She was tired of smelling like dirt and blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ma soeur - my sister (French)  
> Bonsoir - good evening/night (French)  
> ma'amselle - miss (French)  
> mon amour - my love (French)  
> me cago en la hostia - Fucking Damn it! (literaly: I shit in the communion wafers) (Spanish)


	7. Chapter 7

Half an hour later, Pavanne knocks at the bedroom door. "Mariposa? Do you feel like coming downstairs or would you rather rest? I can have something sent up if you are hungry."

Feeling much better now that she was clean, and dressed in a pair of slacks and a heavy sweater that covered her completely and didn't fit her small form too badly, Mariposa looked up at the knock on the door, crossing the room to open it. She weighed her options, and decided to err on the side of politeness for now. "I think I could handle coming downstairs for awhile. I ... I have so many questions."

Laying a hand on her shoulder, Pavanne looks at the fledgling kindly. "Do not worry. We do not bite." She grimaces at the bad joke. "You know what I mean. We would not harm you. Let us go downstairs, and you may ask all of the questions you care to."

Mariposa ran a nervous hand through her dark, damp hair and gave Pavanne an awkward half smile. "Yeah... that sounds pretty good. All I know about vampires is ... well mostly nothing really. I guess I never really found them that interesting before..."

The older woman's brow furrows with concern. "I am sorry that you must find out this way. It is not something to force upon a person. Not everyone is... suited to be a vampire. Nicholas, for example, spent several centuries coming to grips with it." She laughs. "Thomas, on the other hand, he took to it immediately. You know, if you do not wish to kill, we have blood that is bottled."

Mariposa went a little rigid for a moment, and then hugged herself, brown eyes going a little vacant, her voice very soft. "I never imagined I'd do something as horrible as kill another person for anything. But it wasn't even two days before I was so hungry I just... had to. I have all these weird feelings and compulsions inside of me. I just... I wish there was a cure."

The older vampire's expression is sad. "Oh, Mariposa, I am so sorry. Nicholas, he has looked for a very long time and never found a cure. And the hunger...some of us enjoy the hunt, some of us, like Nicholas, do not. He does not drink human blood. Only animal. If you prefer, we have that as well."

The smaller girl frowned, chewing her lip. "I tried that in the woods... squirrels and rabbits and things, but I found I was hungry so much quicker... Though maybe if it was bottled and I didn't have to chase it down..." She turned big worried eyes up at Pavanne. "I don't want to be a monster like the man that made me." Her hand once again went to caress the scars on her neck, she could still feel the tendons tearing.

The Frenchwoman nods thoughtfully as she listens. "The bottled blood will quell the hunger. And if you do not have the heart for the hunt, then you will be fine this way. Do not worry. You will adapt, though I am sure it is not what you intended your life to be."  
The tired young woman gave a heavy sigh. "I don't even know what I intended my life to be. Is that normal, the memory loss? Will it come back? I hate not knowing who I am ... who I was... Everything's so foggy. The only thing I know with absolute clarity is his voice. His face. It'll haunt me forever."

Pavanne's mouth went to a thin line. She placed a firm hand on Mariposa's shoulder. "I do not know about your memory, but I promise you, when we find the cochon that did this to you, you may have the honour of tearing his throat out."

Almond-shaped eyes closed, a shiver running through Mariposa. She knew that Pavanne was being kind, but just the thought of seeing the man who had turned her again made her stomach clench in terror. "I'd be happy if I never saw him again, honestly, I know that's terrible, and he'll probably do this to someone else if he's not found... But I just..." She shuddered again and wrapped her arms tight around her body.

With a finger, de Gryphon turned the woman's chin up. Her eyes burned gold. "Then I promise you. _I_ will kill him for you. " Blinking, she forced her eyes back to normal and smiled sweetly. "Now, no more of this talk. Let us go downstairs, and you may ask your questions and relax. You are safe here."  
"Um... Thank you. Very much...?" The amnesiatic girl with the lost eyes gave a very awkward smile and docilely followed the woman back downstairs. Apparently the very sweet Pavanne could be absolutely freaking terrifying, so Mariposa made careful note of that. At least the anger was for her not at her...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cochon - pig (French)


	8. Chapter 8

They walked back into the library, seeing Nick and Murphy in deep conversation. 'Oh good', thought Pavanne, 'they're not trying to kill each other'. "What are you two talking about? Hmm?" Sliding an arm around around her mate, she kissed him deeply. "Missed you, cher."

Murphy growls into the kiss. "Missed you too, gorgeous. Me and Nicky were just talking cars."

The vampire detective grumbles under his breath at the statement. "Nicky..."

Mariposa skirted her eyes to the side, embarassed by the couple's display of affection. Turning in her lover's arms, the Pavanne indicated the young woman. "Cher, this is Mariposa, the new vampire that Nicholas brought home."

He leans over to see around her, an eyebrow raised as he sniffs the air. "She smells new."

It was extremely awkward, all this sniffing about these folks did, and Mariposa fidgeted again moving a little further away from the trio. "I am." She put a little heat in her voice, not really appreciate being spoken about rather than to.

Nick's voice was calm, trying to placate and comfort the young vampire. "It's alright, Mariposa. Everyone is curious about you. If you would like to tell everyone?"

She tried not to glower, knowing that Nick and Pavanne at least were trying to help her. "Not much to tell. I remember a party, there was drinking, and then a handsome man who called me Mariposa, whispered a few sweet nothings in my ear, and then led me out into the night and tore out my throat before tossing me under a tree and vanishing into the night." There were more details in her head, but she wasn't willing to share them.

The gruff vampire listens for a moment before sitting back, his arm still wrapped around Pavanne. "Shit. That sucks. Definitely not the same experience I had."

The woman in his arms bites her lips, trying not to giggle and nudges him in the ribs. "What cher means is that I turned him. Nicholas can ask Aristotle, perhaps. He might know of such a person."

Knight muses a moment as he pours a fresh glass of animal blood for himself. "It's true. If he's relocated recently, Aristotle would probably know. Mariposa, we will do everything we can to help you get used to your new condition."

She sighs and runs her hand through her hair. "I suppose I could use a little Vampire 101. Pavanne already mentioned that I don't have to k-kill to get by, and that's a great relief. I ... I don't think I have the personality for it."

Pavanne leans against Murphy and looks up at him. "Not everyone does, and that is fine. We keep a ready stock of wine and bloodwine. Though you cannot eat food, you _can_ drink alcohol."

She chewed on her lip, frowning at all of the older vampires. "Okay... I can live with that. But... what do I do? I know Nick is a detective... but do you have jobs? I clearly can't stay here forever, as nice as you all have been..." She closed her eyes, looking every inch the very young woman she had been just a few weeks ago.

"You may do anything you like, Mariposa. This chateau has been in my family for over 500 years, and you may stay as long as you like. Certainly, you must stay until you learn what you can and cannot do. After that..." Pavanne gives a rather Gallic shrug.

"You can do anything you like. What have you always wanted to do?" Nicholas chimes in, his face a picture of earnestness and concern.

It was hard to think of what she could do, or would do, and she pressed the heel of her hand hard against her forehead to keep from getting over emotional. She was anxious and wrung out and overwhelmed. "I don't know what I wanted to do, before I... I know I speak several languages... but that's really all I know."

Nick regarded her with interest. "With a command of language like that, you could be of great value to my foundation, but I think that Viktor Cherevin would like very much to hire you for that type of linguistic knowledge."

Murphy shudders at the mention of Viktor and snorts a disdainful laugh. "I'd keep my distance from him." Mariposa's eyes snapped nervously to this 'Murph', if even he was afraid of the one they called Viktor, what was she getting into?

"Nicholas, I think we must let Ma'amselle Miraposa get some rest. At best, this has been an exhausting time for her, and it cannot be comfortable to be in the company of so many vampires so soon. She has barely had time to realize that she is one of us."

She gave Pavanne a lopsided and grateful smile. "I... Thank you guys so much, I don't think I could have imagined running into anyone this helpful... If this Viktor is a friend of yours and could use my skills... I'd be happy to offer my services once I get on my feet."

"And he will be lucky to have you, Mariposa. There is a bottle by your bed if you become thirsty, and our manservant, Henri, will see to anything else you might require." She gives Nicholas a stern glance, getting up to usher the younger vampire towards the door.

Nicholas gave his sister a sheepish look. "Of course. How thoughtless of me. The sun will be up soon, and you'll want to rest."

"I think you are right and I should get some sleep." The fledgling confessed, feeling the weight of the dawn on her eyelids. It was strange, this ability to sense when the light was coming. Other than that first terrifying day, she had only been active during the night. Perhaps the once was a fluke, a side effect of her traumatic rebirth.

Nicholas places his hands on Mariposa's shoulders. "I hope you have a peaceful day. If you're anything like us, you'll have no choice but to fall asleep with the dawn. Pavanne and I are old enough that we don't need to sleep, but it's still nice to rest. Get some rest and know that you're among friends."

Nodding once, darting one more nervous glance around the room she gave a small wave and backed out of the room, doing her best to retrace her steps to the chamber Pavanne had so graciously designated for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cher - dear (French)
> 
> ((We may be taking some liberties with the character of Viktor Cherevin here, I apologize. He just makes such a delightfully terrifying threat, make him a vampire on top of that? Irresistible.))


	9. Chapter 9

The call of the night was strong within Mariposa. The young vampire had yet to master her instincts, or her thirst. Though she was learning, most of those she fed upon did not survive the encounter, and with every death her thin grasp on what remained of her humanity grew weaker. The hunger was like a demon in her stomach. Clawing, craving, driving her further and further afield. It was maddening. The men and women she fed upon mattered little to the Thirst, they were simply food. Cattle. Like juice boxes with legs. 

  
Part of her was beginning to enjoy the hunt. The way the fear made their blood taste. Last night she'd actually laughed when her victim had screamed as she bit down on his throat. What kind of monster was amused by terror and torment? Was she becoming more like the creature that turned her? Was becoming a monster unavoidable?  
  
Tonight she was huddled in the corner of an old, musty mausoleum. There were nicer places she could be hiding, but her recent viciousness horrified her. Her once fine party dress was ripped and stained, parts of it dragging in the dirt, the rest bunched against her knees as she sat holding herself in a desperate embrace. Slowly she rocked back and forth on her heels, trying to soothe herself while the demon inside her demanded she go forth and seek fresh blood.  
  
She could hear the fluttery heartbeats of a family of mice building their nests within the old tombs. She could smell the comforting decay of the corpses around her, corpses like she should have become rather than this walking, ravenous beast. With a small sob her hand went to the scars on her throat, the last evidence of the brutal attack that had changed her entire life. If you could even call this living. Why her? What had she done to deserve this curse?

With deep grasping breaths, she broke from the daybound unconsciousness, flailing in her covers, almost rending them to nothing but rags in her desperation. Nightmares. They were nothing but bad dreams.


	10. Chapter 10

Mariposa was embarrassed. She had stayed hidden away in the room Pavanne had offered her for longer than entirely necessary. She was lost, confused, a little angry... but mostly she was afraid. Still she owed both Pavanne and Nick her gratitude for taking her in.That and she'd need to support herself in this new life of hers. She should really inquire after the contact information for this Victor person, though the very concept made her anxious. She didn't want to owe anyone anything.

Another night. Pavanne hoped their guest had slept well, though, considering that Mariposa was probably related to them, it was not like she would have much choice. Once the sun comes up, the young vampires must sleep. Very little can rouse them. Tentatively, she knocked at the door. "Mariposa? I hope you slept well. We are all in the library should you care to join us." Quietly she glided down the hall to collect Murphy before heading downstairs.

Mariposa stood with a hand against the door, listening to Pavanne head down the stairs. She closed her eyes, considering her options for a long few moments before plastering on a pleasant, if somewhat bland smile. She could do this. Pushing open the door she treaded the path back down to the library, knocking lightly before sticking her head in. "Morning... or evening I suppose?"

The scene in the library was quiet. Murphy reading the latest "Guns And Ammo", Nicholas intent on his phone screen. Pavanne turned from pouring a glassful of blood as Mariposa knocked and entered. "Mariposa, bonsoir. Did you sleep well?"

Offering a cautious smile the young vampire moved towards the standing woman, still avoiding the rather imposing Murphy. She gave a very tentative smile. "One good thing about our... condition. I seem to get my beauty rest with little trouble."

Pavanne's smile is gentle as she hands the fledgling a full glass. "Yes, when one is a new vampire, dawn makes it impossible to stay awake. After a hundred years or so, you will be better able to stay awake in the daytime. It is too bad that the years do not help us build an immunity to sunlight itself. It will still kill you, unfortunately, no matter how old you become."

Mariposa sighed, cautiously sipping from the glass before giving Pavanne a grateful smile. "The dawn thing has really taken some getting used to, though I am glad to know that it can be partly overcome. I will miss the sunshine though... I don't even remember the feel it on my face." Her brows drew tight in concern.

"It has been far too long for me." She looked wistfully at the young woman. "The only thing that I feel for the sun now is fear. I have seen friends..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes grew distant at some remembered horror.

Nick looked up as Pavanne's voice became strained, and sighed. “Yes, sunlight is the main thing to be wary of, once you can stay awake in the daytime. Holy things...” He shrugged as he thought of how to phrase it, “...are only dangerous if the person holding them believes.” He takes a sip of his drink and holds up his phone. “I've put a call in to Viktor. I'll be interested to hear what he's heard of rogue vampires.”

The pang within Mariposa told her that she had once been a creature of sunshine. She vaguely recalled beaches, waves, the salt air of oceans... Desperately the young vampire tried to grasp at the memory, but it eluded her, slipping away like seaweed on the surf. She sighed, concern crossing her face. She almost reached out to touch Pavanne's arm, but pulled away at the last moment. "I... I'm sorry that I recalled bad memories for you. That was certainly not my intention." She bit her lip, a startled gasp escaping her as the forgotten fangs pierced the tender flesh there. So many parts of vampirism would take getting used to, this was only the beginning she was certain.

Nicholas spoke up, her hero, her rescuer. She had a certain level of feeling towards him, placing him in an almost paternal role within her mindset. His impact for her short time within recall was that great. She tilted her head, the enigmatic Viktor being mentioned again. She was curious who this vampire that perhaps could hold the answer to all her questions might be. She wanted to find her... maker. Find him and let him feel the pain and terror that woke her, shuddering, in the first caress of night."How long before we hear back from him, do you think?"

Looking at the young vampire, Pavanne reached out an arm and pulled her close. "Mon Oncle Viktor will respond in his own good time. He can be fearsome, but he is a good man and a good teacher." She tries to ignore Murphy's snort. "If anyone has the connections to find the bastard that turned you against your will, it is him. In the meantime, I welcome you, the little sister I never had 'til now." She kisses the top of the girl's head as she refills her glass.

"I know Viktor will respond soon. He has quite a few business interests that keep him busy. But don't think that I would push you out to go with him. Your room will always be your room. This is your home for as long as you wish it, Mariposa." Nick smiles at her kindly. "You're family now, whether you wish it or no."

Mariposa tried her best not to be overwhelmed as the easy banter flowed between the three elder vampires. She stayed mostly silent, getting a feel for them all. Part of her felt that she was good at this, judging people, she just wasn't certain as to why. Perhaps it had something to do with her forgotten life... before. She still couldn't think of the attack without nerves threatening to overwhelm her, so she tamped it down, eyes still nervously watching the brusque Murphy as Pavanne pulled her in, embracing her as if it was perfectly natural to pick up a wayward stray and declare them a member of the family. Still, it warmed that hollow little place in her heart that longed for things she couldn't even remember, and she offered a half-hearted smile.

"You are all far too kind. I just... I hope I can repay you in some small way eventually. I shall do my best not to be a burden."

Pavanne looked down at the young woman quizzically. "Why would you ever think that you are a burden? If Nicholas and Janette had not taken me for family after LaCroix brought me across, I would be dead. As it is, I know that you will be a wonderful sister. And who knows? Perhaps you are one that will find a cure."

Mariposa shifted awkwardly. She wasn't sure if she had a family before this, but she assumed she must have. Still, the ease with which they had accepted her amidst them left her feeling almost like a foundering horse, breathless and lost. "I do not think I would be as gracious if some Pendeja just showed up at the side of the road. Perhaps graciousness is your nature, but I do truly appreciate it all."


	11. Chapter 11

"Well, well. What have we here?" He saunters across the room to pour himself a glass of blood before turning to face them. "What? You all look as though you've seen a ghost. I assure you that I'm alive and well." His eyes miss nothing. "Though I must say, from the look on Nicholas' face, it seems he wishes I was." Swifter than sight, he appears in front of Mariposa, taking her chin in his hand, turning her face this way and that before releasing her. He sniffs the air above her head. "My, you /are/ fresh, aren't you? Not one of mine. Who's your sire? Speak up, or are you mute?"

Nick stalks over to LaCroix and places himself in front of Mariposa. "Stop it, LaCroix! Can't you see you're frightening her? She was attacked in the woods, savaged and turned." He gives the young vampire a sidelong glance, his voice softening. "She doesn't know /who/ her sire is. I've sent a text to Viktor. Perhaps he's heard something about an indiscriminate maker."

The appearance of this new man onto the scene had Mariposa's head spinning and her spine stiffening in fear. She tracked him with her wide brown eyes, though his speed certainly made it difficult. When he took hold of her chin, she made a small sound of distress, attempting to pull away as he turned her face. She stumbles back a step, gratefully ducking behind Nicholas, quivering in fear. She didn't know this man, and he terrified her. Unable to help herself, she clung to the back of Nicholas's shirt, just a little, and tried to appear even smaller than she actually was.

The new man rolled his eyes, letting out a theatrical sigh. "Really, Nicholas... another wounded sparrow? I'd have thought you'd learned your lesson over the course of 800 years, but it appears not. She's a frightened rabbit, Nicholas, destined for a quick end." His voice rose as he gestured toward her. "Look at her! Even SHE knows she can't survive!" A half smile crosses his face and he shakes his head. "Poor Nicholas, always bringing home strays."

Frightened she might be, but Nicholas had saved her life, and she REALLY didn't like the way the new vampire was speaking about her as if she wasn't there. Mustering her courage she stepped out from behind Nick, hands fisted to keep herself from shaking and flashed her little fangs at the man. "I am not a rabbit!! Nicholas is a hero, and you can chupame la polla, cabron."

Before anyone can react, his hand flashes out, hoisting the small vampire up by by the throat. "You would do well to mind your manners around your elders, pequeño gorrión." He snarled, pulling her face close to his. "Ask my daughter about my brand of discipline." Dismissively, he tosses Mariposa at Nick. "Teach her some manners, and she may survive yet. She DOES have a certain...spirit."

She managed to catch herself before crashing into Nick, finding her balance and letting out a low, feral hiss as her hand goes to her neck. The man was wicked fast, and she was already trying to come up with ways she could counteract it. She didn't die and come back to life in a filthy forest so that somebody could bully her about. "Tiu nia ma chow hai." she muttered under her breath, moving towards the door, eyes still cautiously resting on Lucien.

Clapping her hands over her mouth in horror, Pavanne grabs Mariposa and shields her from LaCroix's wrath. Her voice is a harsh whisper. "Say nothing to provoke him."

The room holds its collective breath at Mariposa's insult. But instead of killing her outright for the insult, he bursts into laughter and fills his glass again. "I may have misjudged you. With spirit like that, who knows what kind of a killer you could become." His eyes glow yellow over the rim of his glass.

She gently pries Pavanne's hand off her mouth, glaring darkly at Lucien, her voice harsh, fear replaced by anger. "I have no intention of remaining a monster like the jhew lun dou that tore my throat open and left me for dead. Nicholas and Pavanne assure me that killing is unnecessary for survival, so the trail of bodies I have been leaving can stop here." She wasn't sure where this level of rage and confidence came from, but she was not letting some jerk push her around. She even took a challenging step forward. "You'll have to keep waiting for a vicious little pet to come along, it won't be me."

"My dear," He lifts her chin with a finger. "I already have a vicious pet, or haven't you met my daughter, Pavanne?" His eyes are unreadable, somewhere between anger and mirth. "I assure you, she is a vicious, remorseless killer." His voice becomes soft, almost silky, but the steel threat lies underneath. "I am inclined to let you live, if only because Pavanne and Nicholas seem to have adopted you." He looks at his children as his voice hardens. "Teach her some manners, if you hope to have Viktor help. I've been kind. He'll tear her throat out at the first hint of insolence."

She really was tired of being spoken around. She slaps his hand away from her face. "I have manners, I simply don't believe staying alive entitles you to them. Perhaps if you spoke to me, kept your hands to your own person, and used your own fucking manners you would get to see mine." She sniffed, actually turning her back on Lucien, tossing her hair. "You've ceased to impress me."

A low, menacing growl escapes his lips. Snatching her up, he hurls her against the far wall, sending books flying in all directions. "Whelp! Consider yourself fortunate that I do not wish to spill blood in my daughter's home." Striding to the door, he turns back as he readies himself to fly. "I'm going out hunting. Kindly make her see the error of her ways. Or I will." He takes to the sky.

Pavanne murmurs under her breath. "Bizui, xiao meimei."

Mariposa pulled herself up, wiping the trickle of blood from her forehead with a snarl. "Arrogant tontopollas. Poq Gai." She carefully neatened her appearance, and then sighed. "I apologize Nicholas... Pavanne... I don't know what came over me... I just... I hate bullies."

The older vampiress walks over and wipes the rest of the blood from Mariposa's face, hugging her briefly and trying to stifle her grin. "I have never seen anyone stand up to mon pére like that, not even Nicholas." Her tone turns serious. "But, you must not let it go too far." Her eyes are haunted, remembering the past. "His 'discipline' is fearsome."  
She returned the hug, glaring at the place where Lucien disappeared. "I am deeply grateful to yourself and Nicholas, and if this Viktor agrees to take me on, I will owe him much as well... But I owe your Papi nothing, and he has no right to to strut about as if he owns me."

Shaking her head, the other woman sips from her glass, savoring the salty blood. "I owe him my life. He is my father, and, to a large extent, I am his creation. You do not want to put yourself in his sights." She concentrates on her glass, not wanting to show the young vampire the fear in her eyes.

Mariposa sits tentatively on the arm of one of the chairs, her fangs worrying at her bottom lip. She didn't want to upset Pavanne, after all the kindness the older vampire had shown her. "I... I shall attempt to leash my temper, for your sake, but I shall not permit him to bully me. What do I have to fear? I'm already dead." There was a note of sorrow in her voice, and she glared down at her hands. This was not the life she would have chosen for herself,

Pavanne runs her hand absently through the girl's hair, a look of sorrow on her face. "You have no idea, petite. There are far worse things than death. Mon pére once taught me a lesson by sealing me in a coffin with a rotting corpse. I do not know how long I was there. Weeks, years, it was all the same. When I emerged, I was a ravenous killer, willing to do anything to stay out. Believe me, you do not wish to anger him."

The young vampire bristled, pushing away from Pavanne, disgust written across her face. "Why would you let him walk all over you like that? Treating you in such a manner, it is not right. He's a pichacorta bully, and I will not cower like some rabbit or," her lips curled into a sneer, "/sparrow/ as he seems to see me. Perhaps he is terrifying, but fear and respect are very, very different, and eliciting one loses the other in my books." She shakes her head, standing and pacing back and forth, agitation running through her, fists clenching and unclenching with barely contained violence. Hearing what he had done to Pavanne, who had treated her with nothing but gentleness, made her want to punch something. "I would rather be dead, truly dead, than let a brute run my life."

Pavanne shakes her head, letting her hand drop. Her voice is a pained whisper. "You cannot know. He is stronger than any vampire I have seen, and his anger..." her voice trails off, and she turns away, clutching Murphy's hand for support. "Believe me when I tell you that you would do anything after one hundred years in a coffin, with the worms from the deceased crawling over you, unable to move, even to feed. Unable to die..."

Mariposa paused, anger bleeding out for a moment, as sympathy for what the older woman had gone through fought for her focus. She couldn't imagine the horrors Pavanne had gone through, but she was more and more determined that this was not something that she would go through. Even if she had to set out on her own, she would not tolerate it. The anger heated her veins again, her pacing a little more frenetic. "I apology for my poor behaviour, I am simply not a good guest tonight. If you will excuse me... I think I'd like to go for a run."

She nods at Mariposa. "Of course. You are not a prisoner here. I think that you might find mon oncle, Viktor, to be someone more to your liking than LaCroix. He does not have the experiences of LaCroix, nor the age. He is brutal, but only when it is earned." Walking over, she kisses the vampire's forehead. "Go. Run it out of your system. But remember than dawn is not a friend."

She returned the affectionate kiss with a brief buss over Pavanne's cheek. "As long as Viktor is better at keeping his hands to himself, we shall have less arguments." Pushing the anger down as far as she could, she nodded to the gentlemen, stalking out of the room. Perhaps she was a runner, before, because the urge to have the wind blow the emotions from her mind was almost overwhelming.

Pavanne leans against Murphy, her hand playing with the hair at the back of his neck. Looking at Nick, she sighs. "We must get in touch with Viktor as soon as we can. She needs to be out of this house, for her own safety."


	12. Chapter 12

Perhaps the clothes she was wearing, weren't the best for running, but she was hoping that perhaps these vampiric abilities she had forced upon her would make up for it. The moon cast the area around the chateau in a pool of silver light, adding a romanticism to the scene that only seemed to agitate Mariposa further. In a last minute decision, she kicked off her shoes, placing them neatly just outside the door. She stood for a moment, soaking in the moonlight, a pale hand resting over the scarring on her neck. She might never know what kind of monster had ripped her life from her, she might never regain the memories of her old life, but this urge, it came from some part of her that existed before she had become a beast of the night, and that provided some solace.

Then she ran. Her bare feet slid across the lawn with the silence of a forest deer, her long black hair streaming behind her like a waving pennant. As her speed increased, she took more daring leaps, bounding over fences and other barriers in her path. Soon she was at the main road, paces silent along the paved route. Thoughts of the infuriating LaCroix, her new family, all of it melting away. The sound of a vehicle on the road caught her hearing, and she veered away, not wishing to encounter anyone, not wanting to explain the speed with which she moved.

She hit the forest, the overbearing pressure of the branches bringing her back to that first, horrific night. She had been so confused, so hungry. They spoke, back at the chateau, about her sire, but she did not consider him such. In her mind, he was a monster. Her killer. He had stolen her life from her, and whether or not she could remember, it had been hers. Hitting a clearing, she stumbled, falling to her knees, finally exhausted. She clung to the mossy ground, ragged breaths tearing at her lungs. Part of her wished to just keep running until she met the sun. What did she have after all? A room in a stranger's home, and a world with rules she couldn't begin to understand.

A sound of impotent rage tore from her throat, raw and loaded with a pain she could not understand. She didn't even know what was missing in that hollow in her heart. She wanted to cry, to scream, to rip something into shreds. A twig snapped and her head shot up, pupils wide in the darkness as she swung around to catch sight of where the noise originated. At the edge of the clearing, an actual deer stood, frozen in the natural panic of prey.

Before she knew what was happening she was on it, teeth digging into the gentle creature's neck, hands curled into claws as she tore it's chest open with an almost frantic desperation. She didn't know why she was doing it, she felt no hunger, only this sudden rage and wish to destroy something, anything. The soft-eyed doe went slack, dropping to the ground, and Mariposa with it. Even with her vampire strength, in her emotional frenzy she couldn't hold up under the weight.

With teeth and hands she tore the deer apart, wrenching off limbs and tossing bones aside. It was a flurry of motion, elapsing in only a few moments, leaving her crouched in a mound of gore, the original creature barely recognizable. Blood and viscera coated her face, plastering her hair across her cheeks. Finally, she wept, kneeling in the remains of her kill, completely lost.

Nick alit in the clearing, and without a word, swept her up in his arms, taking to the sky again. "Sshhhh. It's alright." Taking the swiftest way home, he carries her into the house and up to her room, laying her down. With a washcloth, he cleans the worst from her face and hands before pulling the covers up around her. "It's almost dawn. Rest now, and we'll talk again at dusk." Kissing her forehead lightly, he leaves, closing the door behind him. He was glad he'd followed her. She'd never have made it back before dawn on her own.

She was startled, she hadn't even known that she had been followed by anyone from the chateau. She wanted to fight his arms around her, but she was exhausted both physically and emotionally, so she simply permitted her hero to once again sweep her away. She didn't even know if she had intended to return, but that decision had been taken from her, at least tonight. She knew Nicholas meant well, and she was almost like a doll in his hands as he lay her down and cleaned her up. She didn't speak through the whole process, but when he left her to sleep, she stared at the door he'd left through for a long time.

Brow furrowed with concern, he made his way to the deserted library. Everyone was in bed for the day. Pouring himself a glass, he stared at the fireplace, thinking of Mariposa and how he might help her get away from LaCroix.


	13. Chapter 13

A few cities distant, huddled in the uncomfortable plastic chairs of a police department waiting room, sat a much deflated Sicilian gentleman. The once pristine lines of his rather expensive suit were rumpled beyond repair, his normally finely coiffed hair was in disarray. His face was aristocratic, the bridge of his nose aquiline, but there was a grayness to his skin, a sagging raggedness, and deep circles were worn under his eyes, bruising purple.

As the policia bustled about between their desks, his head never rose from where it was pressed to the shoulder of a delicately built Chinese woman, her hand clasped tightly in both of his. In striking contrast, she looked tired but still well put together, her hair neatly pinned back, her clothing pristine. There was a certain stiffness to her jaw, a rigidness to her spine that suggested she was deeply unhappy with the proceedings.

After what seemed like hours, a detective came out of the bull pen, a styrofoam cup of watery coffee in each hand. With a curt hand gesture, the woman declined for them both. "Senor, Senora, apologies. There is simply nothing more that can be done. The senorita has been gone for over a year, and there is no sign this was anything but a young woman flying the nest. She is not a child, and with no evidence of foul play, we simply cannot waste police resources in searching for her. Youth can often be cruel in their remembrance of concerned elders."

The once elegant Italian man's shoulders slumped further, knuckles whitening as he desperately clutched his wife's hand. She, however, narrowed her eyes angrily at the detective. "You do not know our Maricela. Cease your ignorant platitudes. She would not do such a thing to her Papi." She tugged her husband to his feet. Even as slumped as he was, sorrow weighing heavily upon him, he still towered over the tiny terror he had wed. "Come, Eduardo. We will simply have to hire a private detective, just as I said we should have all along." The diminutive woman stormed out, dragging her husband behind her.

*~~*~~*

In her room at the chateau, Mariposa blinked, slowly coming out of her reverie. Digging her knuckles roughly against her eyelids, the girl gave her head a shake, chasing away the strangely familiar images. Did vampires have an equivalent to daydreaming? She made a mental note to ask Pavanne when she saw the older vampire next.

Night had fallen over the chateau once more, Mariposa was unsure what she should do. She did not wish to encounter the unpleasant and overbearing Lucien again. She would attempt civility for the sake of Pavanne, because the older vampire had been so kind to her, it would be cruel to make her fret, but it would be difficult. Something about the way manhandled her and acted as if he had a right to dictate her behaviours and actions and stiffened her spine, and she could not guarantee she wouldn't lash out again at the domineering hijo de puta.

He found her in the library, alone for once, and paused to look her over appraisingly. "What shall I do with you?"  
Mariposa stiffened, bristling instantly as his cold voice washed over her. "What you shall do is keep your distance, you have no say over myself or my existence, I am nothing for you to do anything with."

He chuckles, watching her. "Just keep telling yourself that..."

Unable to help herself, Mariposa makes a rude hand gesture. "Accept it and move on, this is the modern world not some feudal kingdom."

He laughs and raises a glass to her. "You are such a child. How little you know of vampires. But you will learn..."

The small vampire lifts a lip, baring a tiny fang in a snarl. "Call me a child again and I shall find a way to make you regret it."

He arches one elegant eyebrow as he smirks down at her. "But you are all children. I have been since Pompeii fell."

His continued amusement only agitated Mari further. "No wonder you're so out of touch with how the world works."

"As much as you protest, you're a killer, just like the rest of us. You can deny it, but it's there. Why not let it go?"

"Perhaps because I am not an animal, like some." She arches a delicate eyebrow.

"You /do/ amuse me, I must say. But sooner or later, you /will/ give in...You are a hunter now, whether you like it or not."

"Perhaps, but that is none of your nevermind." Boldly she dared to get right up in his face. "I am not one of yours and you have no say over me, cabron."

At over six feet tall, he towered over the little vampire, thinking how much she reminded him of a feisty kitten. With an iron hand, he gripped her shoulder, smiling at the wince of pain it caused her. "While I find your little show of bravery amusing, at the moment..." Lowering his voice to a menacing whisper, his eyes flashed yellow. "Do not think for a moment that I will not snap your neck, or chain you to the roof to greet the sunrise, little girl." Pushing her hard enough to send her stumbling into the racks of books, he stalked off into the depths of the chateau.


	14. Chapter 14

Fear was a brutal, twisted thing within her. Dragging her through her new family's home like a ghost. She'd been using her heightened senses to avoid the other vampires. It was cowardly, and even a bit unkind, but her inability to not pick fights with Lucien made it... necessary. She did not wish to upset Pavanne, but the sire of her friend's line was like a sore just under her skin, she felt compelled to pick and pick until he lashed out. Maybe it was a death wish on her part, maybe it was his harsh bullying behaviour, but whatever it was, something about the elder vamp made her want to cause problems. Was this how she demonstrated to Nicholas that she was grateful for him saving her life, not once, but twice?   
  
She explored the chateau in the early hours of dawn, moving like a shadow across the dimly lit floors. She was getting a feel for the building's layout now. She knew where the library was, and to avoid it, since this particular kiss of vampires seemed to prefer relaxing there in the evenings. That was something new she had learned, with a book smuggled from the library in the near dawn hours. A group, family if you wish, was called a kiss, or a coven depending on the primary vamp, but she was betting with a sire as cruel and old as Lucien LaCroix, they would be called a kiss.  
  
She swung out of a top floor window, angling her body so that her feet hit the roof. Here, in the moonlight, she paced. She let the anxiety of her knew life wash away under the silver glow, absorbing the calm of the dark air into her very blood. Or at least she tried to, but it did not help. Part of her, some sick, twisted animal part, still craved the hunt. She thought she would be fine, drinking bottled wine and animals like those that took her in, but something feral curled in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to stalk through the heavy air and feel the fear at the pulse of her victim's throat. It was wrong, evil.   
  
No matter how many times Mariposa tried to convince herself of this, the urge remained, tugging at her insides until she thought she would go mad. The young vampire didn't even want to discuss it with her new family, ashamed at the violent urges she had hidden within her. She had almost convinced herself to go back inside, apologize for her distance, and try to be civilized for an evening. That's when she caught the scent. A faint coppery undertone to the breeze, somewhere upwind, someone or something was bleeding.   
  
Mariposa growled, a small sound, more like a puppy than a vicious hunter, but she was new and petite in form. She ran swiftly across the shingles and flung herself from the roof, rolling to a graceful landing in the grass, unharmed. Supernatural strength was certainly useful for something. Neatening her wardrobe she tilted her head to the side, drawing the scents of the air deep into her lungs, sorting through them mentally until she found what she was looking for once more. Than tangy salted scent that had broken her reverie.  
  
Like a shot, she was running through the woods, dodging trees and shrubs, a pure, animal joy on her face. This is what her body had longed for. Run. Hunt. Kill. It was miles she ran, as if they were nothing. Her vampire powers making the world blur around herself as she pursued the call of prey. She managed to pause just before she broke into the clearing, where the road cut through the trees as it meandered towards the city.   
  
There she saw him, a man with the dressed carcass of a deer he was trying to load single handedly into the back of his truck. She couldn't tell if he had been hunting, or scavenging roadkill, and it didn't much matter to her. Somewhere in his struggles he had cut his hand, either on the truck or the buck's antlers, and the rich smell of hot human blood entranced the young vampire.  
  
She slunk from the trees, shaking her long black hair out around her, letting the fall of her borrowed blouse hilight the pale expanse of her cleavage. She posed, like a cobra waiting to strike, or a woman with the dark knowledge of a man on her face. The poor sap in his green camouflage jacket couldn't tell the difference. He stumbled, letting the carcass of his own kill fall to the ground, and whisked off his cap, giving her a slow once over. "Well there, little lady, what has you out alone in the woods tonight."  
  
She chuckled, a low throaty sound, thick with a perverse knowledge of the taste of flesh, just not the taste he assumed it was. She could hear his pulse rate increase, smell his arousal, and it was all food to her. It wasn't what she was craving though, she wanted a different spice. With a sudden snarl she flashed her fangs, their razor points catching the moonlight. Finally a spike of fear ran through the man. That's what she wanted. With a slow, rolling gait she stalked towards him, hissing a single word. "Run."  
  
Abandoning truck, gun and gear the man turned and ran, crashing clumsily through the underbrush. He was barely a challenge as she darted after him, cutting him off in a matter of steps. It was enough though. Fear made his heartbeat sound like a thousand jungle drums crashing through her own bloodstream. Sweat and terror wrapped around him like a heady cologne. Mariposa reached out a tiny hand, dragging him slowly towards her body with a strength not physically possible to hold within such a frail looking form.  
  
He begged, and she heard nothing but the animal sounds of distress that drove her onward. With almost a sigh of contentment, she sunk her fangs into his neck, drawing deeply on his life's blood. For a few blissful moments, the worries of her new life fell away. There was only the copper roll of pennies across her tongue and the song of sustenance.


	15. Chapter 15

Lucien watched the young vampire, something akin to pride on his face. Perhaps, despite her difficult nature and many protests, she would be the kind of vampire he nurtured after all. She certainly stalked like a true predator. He couldn't resist a small chuckle, and the young vampire's head came up. Mariposa curled her lips back in a fang-flashing sneer. "Creeper."

Lucien shakes his head. "What is it about you that stays my hand? I wish I knew..."

She flashed her fangs. "Perhaps there are too many yesmen in your life."

Amused at her tiny fangs, but trying not to show it, he cocks an eyebrow. "An interesting statement, petite chatte."

"I am not your cat, sparrow or rabbit. I am not an animal. No matter what I do to feed." She retorts immediately, bristling at the implied pet name.

He laughs, a loud, rolling laughter that he indulges in seldom. "Ah, you do amuse me. Perhaps that's what has kept me from killing you. I do admire your tenacity, your...honesty, ma'amselle Mariposa. You prick my curiosity."

She gave a delicate little snort. "As long as pricking your curiosity is all that is happening." She tossed her hair but couldn't keep a small smile off her face. At least he was keeping his hands to himself today.

He chuckled to himself. She was an impertinent brat, but he did like her spirit. "I have to admit, you've livened up our old chateau."

She looked back at Lucien, an assessing look, as if she was weighing him. "I did not mean to come into all of your lives, but I appreciate Nicholas and Pavanne because they have tried to ease my transition. You, however, make me feel like some stray feral beast, half-tamed and needing training. I do not like it, nor do I like you."

"I assure you, I do not think of you as a... beast, though you could use a few manners. Understand that I am from an older, far harder tradition. My maker brought me across in the year of Pompeii's demise. When I would not bed with her," he finds himself shuddering at the old memory, "she attempted to kill me. I killed her without a second thought. Or at least I thought I had. She IS dead now. So normally, I would have no compunction about killing you. But...you did not ask to be a vampire, and so... I am inclined to listen to my daughter and, what is the expression? Cut you some slack? For the death of me, I don't know why I just told you all of that. Anyway, consider yourself welcomed to the family." A bit flustered in spite of himself, her turns to leave.

She listened, surprised that he was revealing so much to her. Perhaps it was her very newness, or perhaps it was that part inside her that let her read people that made people want to relax and confide in her. Still, she felt that she owed Lucien something after he tried to meet her half way. She placed a hand on his arm. "No dramatic parting shot, 'If you tell anyone than I have to kill you' or the like?" She gave him a wee mischievous smile. "Your secrets are safe with me, but if you throw me around again, I'm going to tattle about your maker to Pavanna over booze and blood."

Startled, he looked at the small hand on his arm. With a smile, he patted it as he looked at her. "You have a deal, my dear."

"I'm still going to put something unpleasant in your bed if I ever find where you sleep. Revenge does not wait on good feelings." Amused with herself, she laughed and blew him a kiss, passing him to exit out the door he was going to leave through previously.

He blinked at the exchange and shook his head, reminding himself to lock his door at dawn while her laughter echoed down the hall, just a hint of mockery in it. She was perhaps going to enjoy being a vampire in this family.


	16. Chapter 16

Pavanne encountered Mariposa heading back to her room. "I hear our new petite sœur is becoming an accomplished hunter."

Not concerning herself with where such things would be heard, she had noted these particular vampires were a gossipy lot, she simply blushed. "Jeijei, you are too kind."

The older vampire smiles. "I am not kind at all, petite. It is, quite simply, the truth."

Mariposa shakes her head with a smile of her own. "You have been nothing but kind to me."  
"It is nothing that you do not deserve, petite sœur. You did not ask for this life. Why make it any harder on you?"

"But still, it was not necessary for you to take me in and treat me like family. I am grateful."

The older woman takes her hands. "Just know that you are safe here, always. And you ARE family, whether you like it or not."

She clasps Pavanne's hands tightly in her own. "Despite the troubles I have with your sire, I will not regret knowing you."

The francophone's smile becomes mischievous. "I will tell you a secret. LaCroix admires you greatly for standing up to him."

Mariposa shakes her head, narrowing her eyes as she looks at her new sister. Though she did think on her earlier interlude with the eldest vampire in the chateau. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Pavanne laughs and grins. "Oh no. That is something I would never joke about. He marveled at your spirit. No one stands up to him."

She gave a toothy, fang-flashing grin. "At least I'm sturdy enough to take all that... marvel. He is the handsiest damn cabron I have ever dealt with. In fact... you're all very casual with the touching."

"We are. I think it is the last bit of humanity that we do not give up, that need for the touch of another. But many older, larger vampires have broken under mon pére's anger. But you, you shook it off and asked for more. He is impressed with you."

She chewed her lip in thought. "I think... It felt familiar, his anger. As if I had dealt with someone like that before I only knew that if I did not push back, I might be swept away and overrun, and that could not be permitted."

Pavanne gave the young vampire a wink. "Well, whatever the reason, I think that it was the right thing to do. You intrigue him."

Mariposa gave a rueful laugh. "I don't know if that's the best idea, but it's better than him actually attempting to kill me."

"Oh no, you do not understand. If he truly wished to kill you, you would be, quite simply, dead. No, he was angry, it is true, but he wanted to see what you would do, could you fight back, live your life as one of us, or should he kill you before someone else did? You fought back and then some. You will do well in this life."

The young vampire looked out the window, insecurity on her face that she wished to hide. "I worry about myself, I worry that the violence of the hunt will take me over the edge. I worry that I enjoy it too much."

Her gaze followed the girl's, her smile gentle. "It is not possible, to my mind, to enjoy it too much. That is your human guilt speaking, that it is wrong to kill. But you are no longer human. The rules do not apply. As you have seen, usually, we drink the bottled blood, but sometimes, the hunt calls, blood to blood, and we must answer it." Her eyes flashed gold.

The tiny youth clasped the windowsill until she thought the wood would crack beneath her fingers. "I just... I don't .." She sighed. "Perhaps you are correct, but would Nicholas give me the same answer?" She turned, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Her elder laughed again. "Probably not, but you must remember, our Nicholas has never been truly comfortable in his choice." Her head tilted to the side as she gave the woman an appraising look. "You ask intelligent questions, petite. Nicholas would quite likely tell you that drinking animal blood will sustain you." She shuddered. "You taste it and tell me if you agree."

Mariposa gave a sad smile. "No. I tasted it, and it is ... its like soft drinks instead of a hearty feast. Even the bottled blood is not nearly as satisfying."

"Exactly. But that is the price one pays for clutching to guilt, to mortality. It seems to work for Nicholas, but for me, no."

"I wanted to be like Nicholas... But I fear that for me as well, it would be no."

*She nodded, a hint of sadness in her eyes* My brother's road is a hard one. I love the hunt too much, the call of blood.

"Part of me feels that he is right, but then I wake to the hunger, and find myself pacing the roof, craving the kill. Am I a monster? An animal? Tell me I'm not wrong Pavanne... Tell me I am not like he who made me."

She gathers the small woman into her arms, holding her tightly. "Never, Mariposa. Your feelings are normal for a new vampire. Even Nicholas was once ruled by bloodlust. With time, it becomes manageable. No, the one that turned you unwilling, he is the monster. And he must be dealt with. What he is doing endangers us all. We live because we are a myth. We never want to be in the blazing light of humanity's gaze. It would doom us."

Mariposa wrapped her arms around the other vampire, holding her close. "I do not think he meant for me to survive, honestly."

She nods at the young vamp, her eyes thoughtful as she comforts her. "Probably not. It is amazing that you did not rise as feral...or carouche."

Mariposa's hand went to the scars on her neck again, stroking them lightly. "It could have been worse, you are correct."

"Oh yes. Carouche and feral are both just walking hunger. The carouche is more aware, but they are abominations."

Mariposa shuddered. "I am so grateful that I did not... I already worried that I might be an abomination."

"Hardly. You are a lovely young woman who is a vampire. Though I do wonder how we can get your memory to return..."

She bit her lip. "Sometimes I have these flashes... I don't know if they're memories or something else. I just... I don't know."

Pavanne pulls back to look at her newest sibling. "I have a few friends I can ask who may have some ideas. Marie might be able to help us."

She shook her head. "What does it matter, really? I can't go back to that life. Better to let it go and move on with the life I have."

"That is true, but it is a good thing to know where you came from, I think. Even vampires need their history."

She clasped Pavanne's hand in her own, squeezing it lightly. "I have a new family, and a new history to learn about."

Squeezing Mariposa's hand in return, she smiles brightly. "Then we should start learning of it. Come, let us get something to drink."

Grinning she moved towards the door with Pavanne. "All right. You teach me what I need to know, and then I can stop feeling so useless and monstrous."

Grinning, the older woman's feet leave the ground. "I think we can do this. Race you to the kitchen?" She flies off down the hall.

Perhaps Mariposa couldn't fly, but she had learned that she was an excellent runner. She padded along behind Pavanne, feet blurring over the wooden floors as she laughs, pursuing the sister that she had not known she was craving so badly.

As they reach the kitchen, she lands and looks at Mariposa again. "Hmm. You should be able to fly. Give me your hands."

The new vamp tentatively held out her hand to Pavanne. "I'm not sure... I just got used to the fangs and the speed... Is it horrible that I'm afraid to test the other vampy powers?"

"No but it is truly wonderful to fly." Taking her hand, she rises a few inches and lets go. "Just tell yourself you belong here."

Mariposa tried to focus, wrinkling her brow... but didn't leave the ground. She shook her head. "I just... it can't be that easy."

Smiling, she takes the tiny, asian-looking vampire's hand again and lifts her a few inches. "Try it again."

Mariposa closes her eyes tightly, trying to relax. Trusting in Pavanne in a way that made very little sense since they'd not known each other that long. Something about the older woman, though, made her want to trust her. Slowly, little by little, she gained some altitude.

"Aha! Voila! You fly!" Letting go of her hands, she rises to the ceiling. "Up here!"

She drops a bit when Pavanne lets go, screeching, and then laughing. Slowly moving to joining the older woman near the ceiling, wonder on her face. "I'm flying!"

"You are!" She grins as she floats in mid air. "See? There are good things about being a vampire as well."

Mariposa hollers with excitement, starting to fly in little circles around Pavanne. "Jeijei! I can do it! Look at me!"

She claps her hands, laughing. "You are a natural! You will be flying over Paris in no time at all!"  
Just then Murphy wanders in and cocks his head, looking up at the ceiling. "What the fuck?"

"Come up, cher! Mariposa has discovered that she can fly!"

The girl in question giggles and waves at Murphy. "Look jie fu! I'm flying!" She did little somersaults.

Murphy raises a eyebrow, floating easily up to join them. "It's really not that hard."

Pavanne kisses his cheek. "He did learn very quickly. But so did you, Mariposa."

She giggled. "Thank you jie jie, jie fu. You have definitely made this so wonderful..." She spins around excitedly.

Murphy rolls his eyes and floats back down to the floor, shaking his head. "Women."  
Floating down, Pavanne kisses him deeply, and hands him the latest "Guns And Ammo" magazine and a bottle of blood before floating back up. "I will see you in a bit, cher."

Mariposa blushes and averts her eyes. "I do not think it is a woman thing. I bet you were just as excited the first time."

He cranes his neck to look up at both of them. "Maybe. But I didn't feel the need to do aerial gymnastics." He tucks the magazine and bottle of blood under his arm.

She giggles again. "Your loss."

"Actually, he loves to fly." Pavanne grins. "And he was very excited to know he could."

"All these big tough killers around, a girl wants to admit she likes flying I think she's safe."

Pavanne nods, laughing. "So would you like to stay indoors, or take a flight outside?"

The young vamp's smile spreads even broader. "Can we? Truly?"

"Yes, let's go!" Leaving Murphy to his magazine and blood, they fly out the kitchen door and into the night.

Waving farewell to Murphy, Mariposa stays close to Pavanne ... still a little afraid of this new talent.

Taking her new sister's hand, the two skim the clouds over the 10th Arrondissement as Pavanne points out landmarks. Mariposa noted how some things looked familiar, but not like she'd seen them from this angle before. She grinned and laughed and hung on to Pavanne's hand happily. Landing on top of Gare du Nord, Pavanne leaned against a statue then turned to her and smiled. "How does it feel?"

She smiles, leaning against Pavanne. "Good. Familiar but different all the same."

The older vampire's eyes twinkle and flash in the dark. "And it is wonderful for hunting, you know. Stalking is easier from the sky."

An excited little growl escaped Mariposa's throat. "They won't even hear you coming..." A familiar hunger, the desire to hunt and stalk, starts to well up in the pit of her stomach. She had already fed today, and the urge was quenchable... for now.

Pavanne leans over to whisper. "Just remember it when you want to truly have some fun stalking them..."

She laughed, but it was a deeper, darker, more knowledgeable laugh. "Oh Pavanne... I rather think I shall."

The older vampire grins, her fangs showing. "It is particularly delightful in the warehouse district. The mortals there always need killing."

Mariposa tilted her head, considering everything. "I never considered that... deliberately hunting bad men. I just tend to stick with the ones that fall for the bait." She studies the street below, looking at the scurrying mortals.

"Bad men have a dark, delicious quality to their blood..."

She laughs, leaning over and nudging her new big sister lightly. "Keep that up and you will make me hungry."

Pavanne licks her lips, eyes gone gold. "Since when do you have to be hungry? There is the pleasure of the hunt."

Interest flickered across Mariposa's face. "We could... Just hunt together? Regardless of hunger? For pleasure? Is that... Not immoral?"

Pavanne laughed merrily. "You are so very young. What we /are/ is immoral, petite. We are an affront to god, and that is why we are damned. So, if we are truly damned, should we not make the most of it?"

That gave the young vampire pause. "I... I guess that's true. I never thought about that." She tilted her head to one side. "I don't feel like I was religious before, because that thought doesn't upset me..." She gave a little bit of a growl. "It makes me... anticipate. I think I should enjoy a hunt right now ... If you would like."

The older woman's eyes glittered. "I would love it. Let us be off." Dropping from the roof, she swooped over Rue de Dunkerque and headed for one of the seedier areas. Flickering neon announced the many dive bars, and she hovered until a likely looking thug presented himself. "What do you think of this one? The street is deserted, and it would be an easy chase."

Mariposa struggles to keep up with Pavanne, giggling a bit as they wove between the dirty buildings. She unconsciously mimicked the older vampire's movements, eyeing the thug in question. "He looks fit and swift, I bet he would run well."

"Then let us see." Baring her fangs her fangs and letting out an unearthly scream, she flew right at the man. His bloodshot eyes opened wide in horror at the two harpies, and he turned tail and ran.

She followed close behind Pavanne, her laughter drifting behind her on the air. She darted to the left, skirting around to flank the man from the other side. She flashed her own fangs. "Boo." The thug shrieked and ran faster. She could smell his sweat, laden with the sweet scent of his terror. Pavanne breathed down the collar of his shirt, causing his heart to race even faster. Chuckling, she signaled Mariposa to take him. Mariposa grinned at her mentor, nodding once before pouncing, using that little bit of flight to take her farther, until she landed on the shoulders of the thug, the weight of her and the force of the hit bringing him to his knees. She laughed against his ear. "We caught you, payaso."

Hovering over the scene, Pavanne chuckles, watching the girl tackle the terror stricken miscreant. She lands lightly and walks over to him, lifting his chin with her finger. "Beg us for your life." Her fangs shone white in the darkness.

Mariposa sniffed the thug's hair, enjoying the fear and salt of the sweat coming off his skin. "I would do as she says, jie jie is not known for her patience with mortals."

He stammered, his pleas streaming forth like water from a broken dam. Yawning, Pavanne raised a hand. "Enough. I am bored. Mariposa, since this is your first time out, he is all yours." She grinned and took a step back.

Mariposa grinned, digging her fingers through his hair and tilting his head back. "You are too generous, jie jie." With a grin, she leaned in, digging her teeth into his neck, with a growl of enjoyment. Pavanne watched her charge with undisguised pleasure, as the tiny vampire drained the large man. Mariposa sighed happily, coming off for air, neatly dabbing the smallest trickle of blood from her lips. "You are correct, there is a certain... quality to his blood that I had not anticipated. He's delicious, jie jie."

"They are, without exception, delicious." She looked around the deserted street. "Let us savage his throat and throw him in the river. By the time they find him, the fish will have eaten their fill."

Mariposa gave a bloodthirsty grin. "As you say, jie jie." She hefted the figure to its feet, enjoying the boneless sway of the pre-rigor mortis form. "Would you care for the honours?" She offered with a small giggle.

"Why, thank you, petite sœur!" "As she stepped up, she removed one black glove before slashing his throat to ribbons with her sharp nails. With a feral grin, she took the body, as if it was paper, and heaved it into the Canal St. Martin.

Mariposa clapped excitedly, admiring her new sister's strength. Allowing herself to enjoy the ferocity in a way she had not done since she began this new life. For that moment, she was calm, content, and at peace.

Still smiling, Pavanne cast an eye heavenward. "Time to head back, before the dawn creeps over Paris. Are you ready?"

Mariposa skipped over and slid her tiny hand into Pavanne's. "I believe so. Thank you. I ... I really needed this tonight."

Her voice was soft as she squeezed the small hand in hers. "I know. Sometimes, we all do." Smiling, she took to the sky. Mariposa laughed softly, flying after Pavanne. With the night wind in her hair, it was almost believable that she would enjoy being a vampire. They flew in through the open kitchen door. The house was silent as the dawn neared. "Thank you for letting me take you hunting. It's something that I love. Now, off to bed with you, and no more hiding from us, eh?"

Mariposa blushed and ducked her head. "I shall try jie jie, good sleep today."

"And to you, little sister." Bending, she kissed the top of her head. "Sweet dreams."


	17. Chapter 17

Her vision had that softness around the corners, like she was dreaming again. She kept meaning to ask if vampires dreamed, or if there was just something incredibly wrong with her. It was still early evening, but she'd taken a book to her room to sit and read, and she must have dozed off. She looked around, the dreamscape, if that was what it was, was so very different this time.

Mariposa stepped out into this unfamiliar face. Whereas the last time had been startlingly human, and slightly familiar, there was nothing recognizable about this one. The room was decorated in heavy brocade tapestries depicting acts of violence and sexual perversion. The furniture was heavy and black, and something that looked suspiciously like chains was curled beneath the bed. Despite the fuzzy dream edges, there was harshness here, violence unconstrained, and a warning jangled in the back of her brain. A warning for what, though, was beyond her ability to guess.

The sound of screaming made her jump, and she hid behind an old armoire. Dream or not, she had no desire to be discovered by whatever monster stalked what was quickly becoming a nightmare. A man came in dragging a girl by the hair, but her focus was on the man. How familiar he was with his fine, Castilian features. Soft black hair curled lightly over his ears and forehead, skin pale and smooth like an aristocrat's. He would have been beautiful, if not for the monster staring out of his blood red eyes, and the snarl twisting his cupid's bow mouth into a mockery of all that was human, fangs bared and stained crimson.

The chill of fear shot through her and she retreated further behind the armoire, desperately willing herself to wake up. She didn't want to be here, to see this... to see him. Sounds filled the room, wet, horrible sounds of sex and violence. The girl wouldn't stop screaming or crying... until she went silent completely. The sound of feeding stopped, but the other sounds continued. Mariposa pressed her hands against her ears, squeezing her eyes shut against the horror of her dream.

Silence fell over her oppressively, and she slowly peeled her eyes open, her hands from her ears. She had crouched to the floor at some point as she avoided the terror, and when she could finally see again she froze. In front of her were two well-formed male calves. In dawning horror she let her gaze rise, until she was staring into the demonic gaze of He Who Made Her. The sound that escaped her lips was much akin to that of a mouse caught in the claws of an owl.

He glowered down at her. He was like an angel turned, beautiful and terrible all at once. When he spoke, the crisp Castellano pronunciation seemed strangely incongruous with the monster she knew he was. "Te veo, mi mariposa..."

Shuddering she slammed herself back into the armoire, screaming. She was still screaming when she came back into herself. She'd tipped the chair over backwards, her book discarded face down on the floor, and was cowering against the wall, clawing at her own arms. Her sharp nails left deep runnels down her forearms, blood dripping to the floor in rivulets. She was an absolute mess, blood and tears and fear. She couldn't seem to stop screaming. If vampire's could dream, she really wished to stop.


End file.
